Christmastime 1941 by Linda Mahkovec

Author:Linda Mahkovec [Mahkovec, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bublish, Inc.

Chapter 8

*

Lillian mechanically answered the lights at the switchboard, her mind crowded with worries and fears. The news had been trickling in about the attack on Pearl Harbor: the death toll was over two thousand, the Navy was in shambles. The sense of vulnerability and shock hit her for a second time, this time more slowly and methodically as the details emerged.

And now she had the additional burden of knowing that Charles had enlisted. She told herself that because he was past the draft age of forty-five, though only by a year, he would be stationed in the States. But she knew him well enough to know that he would go wherever he was needed. Until that time came, she wanted them to be married, to begin their life as a couple.

She used to feel that she could discuss anything with Charles, but his change of heart about their wedding plans had left her feeling alone with her fears and concerns. She didn’t want to burden her sister with her problems; Annette had worries of her own. And Lillian felt that she couldn’t talk to Izzy about her fears for Charles, with Red lying wounded.

However, as far as work issues, Lillian and Izzy were always there for one another, and frequently vented their aggravations to each other. Izzy appreciated Lillian’s clear-sighted advice, and Izzy’s cheerful disposition had a way of recasting Lillian’s problems into manageable challenges. So Lillian hadn’t given it much thought when, earlier in the day, she said something off-hand to Izzy about being bored with the switchboard.

But Izzy clearly didn’t want to hear it. For the first time, Lillian regretted having expressed her feelings to Izzy. She had noticed a change in Izzy the past few days, a kind of distance, and assumed it came from some temporary upset. But today Izzy was being decidedly cold to her.

Lillian searched for an explanation for the change in her behavior. True, Izzy was busier than ever. The attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declarations of war had resulted in nearly all the young men at Rockwell Publishing enlisting, and Izzy was in charge of much of the rescheduling and reassignment of duties. Izzy was extremely organized and efficient, but Lillian worried that she was spreading herself too thin, taking on too much. She was beginning to exhibit behavior that concerned Lillian. Izzy was becoming abrupt and authoritative in her new role. Earlier in the day, Lillian had come upon one of the new girls crying in the bathroom, after Izzy had snapped at her. Lillian tried to comfort the girl, saying that the war was making everyone tense, and that Izzy was a kind and generous person, but was under a heavy work load just now.

Rather than speculate what might be wrong, Lillian decided to speak to Izzy about it. At the end of the day, Lillian stopped by Izzy’s desk before leaving.

“Can I talk to you, Izzy?”

One of the girls came by with an invoice for Izzy to sign.

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